“Colorado has the highest use rates of marijuana among youth in the country,” Newell said.

But opponents say it’s patients who will be hurt. Terri Robinett told the committee, “This bill will reduce access for patients, there’s no way around it. It will reduce access and it will increase cost.”

Opponents argue stealing pot from someone’s backyard is already illegal. They say the bill is meant to curb home grows.

“We have to look at cannabis for what it is. It’s a non-toxic benign plant,” said medical marijuana advocate Jason Warf.

Warf says if the state is going to require medical pot to be locked up, why not other medicine?

“The medical and recreational systems are two separate systems,” Robinett told the committee.